How do so many people collect welfare?

Question

How do they do it? Do they just quit their job, or do you have to be fired to get it. I must be one of the dumb ones, I work for a living.

Answer 1

Your income just has to be a certain amount or lower. The more people in your household, the higher that amount of income can be. So a single person probably won't be earning welfare unless they either don't work at all, or work a very low-end part-time job. Whereas, a parent with 3 kids can have a full-time, low-paying job, and earn welfare. It's the actual financial income that welfare benefits are based on.

You earn unemployment from being fired or laid off. That's different from welfare.

Answer 2

I think that the majority of them either cannot work or they have lost their jobs and their unemployment ran out before they can find another job. I find it very offensive for some of the people here to state that people keep having kids to boost the size of their cheques as their is no research to prove this happens ... less than 5% of children in families on welfare have been born while the parent was on welfare.

The amount people receive on welfare is very low. I don't see how anybody would WANT to be on welfare ... the vast majority are pushed onto it as a result of having no other resources. The majority of people here that I've worked with who were on welfare for any length of time (more than a year) have moved several times, live in unstable housing or have had at least one spell of homelessness. The amounts provided do not even cover rent for many places, let alone putting food on the table as well.

Answer 3

Sometimes people actually do need it, like if they are recovering from an operation, or if they have a serious disease, or a mental problem. If somebody loses their job and they can't find work and their unemployment insurance has run out, there's really no reason why America would want to let a person like that and the family just starve to death in the gutter when this is the most productive economy in the world. India and China have been thru that and they are moving away from it. Some Americans seem to think that would be desirable here. They are wrong.

Answer 4

Its hell being poor. It isn't a picnic. I know it's easy to get mad at someone who deosn't work and gets money from the gov. But really. They don't get much and it's degrading to get it and it isn't that stable. Most states severely restricted welfare years ago because of complaints like yours. It isn't the people on the bottom that should get on your nerves, it's the ones on top who cash in on you. You didn't say where you work but compare the salaries of the average person where you work to the bosses at the top and you'll see what I mean. I'm an MBA whose boss makes as much as the four managers under him combined and he's basically a moron who got in early and is part of the good old boys network. Can't read well can't spell can't write but he can sign those big checks. And would laugh at you for asking for a raise.

Answer 5

Orangeyellow, please look some stastics up when you've finished with this. #1 What is the $$amt. which OUR federal gov't has established was "the poverty line?"
(If annual income was less=living in poverty/ if more=you aren't)
#2 Calculate what someone who is making minimum wage and working full time would make in a year.
#3 Figure out the difference
#4 Now think about what it costs to maybe raise just one child.
#5 Now think about the probability of that minimum wage full time employee actually having the time and/or ability to get training needed to get betterpaying job with future opportunity
#6 If you want to know more, read Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich. Freakin brilliant

Answer 6

There are people who cheat the system, but the vast majority actually deserve welfare. Many people cannot afford food, clothing, medicine, and housing for themselves or their families because of disabilities (both mental and physical) or illness or cannot find work or are forced to work part-time and many other reasons.

It's rather cruel to bemoan someone their food. People don't go on welfare in order to live or be rich (on a welfare check? Ha.), but because they have to.

Answer 7

some people are in a tough spot in their lives. think of how many single parents there are now. sometimes the other parent doesn't help support their kids by paying child support or paying for other things they are responsible for paying. or parents who are going to school and trying to raise kids. people aren't on welfare because they lied or something, they are on because they need help. they do background checks and everything there before they just give you money. they make sure you really need it and its impossible to get on welfare unless you have a really good reason that you need it.

Answer 8

Don't know, don't care. Like you I work for a living. However, remember, Unemployment Compensation is counted as welfare since it does come out of the SS fund. As such it is harder to get a better picture of the expenditures.

Answer 9

My husband and I are alive and well 3 kids one paycheck...

There was a time when my husband lost his job, I begged him to lose his pride and apply for unemployment...he did.....he was approved....he got a job quickly......one check came from the unemployment office...we sent it back....

Our current salary level for our household qualifies us for reduced price lunch for our kids....at school.....we don't do it...

It's pride. Pride in the fact that a family can be supported without help....pride that just one man can work and one woman can be good around the home enough that we never will ever have to rely on the system, much less "milk" it....

Answer 10

hey, pop out a few welfare babies and retire...you'll be set

you should read my question on welfare----it really ticks me off.....

and NO---unemployment does not come out of the SS fund---
it's not welfare---companies have to pay into unemployment---that's why they usually try to fight claims if they think it's is contestable.....so if it was coming out of SS, why would they even bother? they wouldn't. plus, you pay state and federal taxes on unployment---you don't with welfare

the government regulates companies and the company has to pay into a fund----unemployment is like an insurance policy....so there should never be anyone ashamed of being on unemployment if they were laid off from their job----

however, if you got fired or just don't work and you get on welfare--that is different......